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Catalysts
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Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection
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Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalytic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 6125

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Xiaohong Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral, Ministry of Education, School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
Interests: photocatalysts; electrocatalysts; water splitting; CO2 reduction; environmental remediation; energy conversion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The transition toward sustainable energy systems and environmental remediation demands innovative catalytic solutions to address global challenges such as climate change, energy scarcity, and environmental pollution. This Special Issue focuses on the design, synthesis, and application of advanced catalysts for energy conversion and environmental protection, aiming to foster interdisciplinary research that bridges fundamental science with scalable technologies for a sustainable future. We invite original research, reviews, and perspectives on novel catalytic materials and processes, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Photocatalytic and electrocatalytic water splitting;
  • CO2 reduction to fuels and chemicals;
  • Hydrogen production/storage;
  • Air and water purification;
  • Pollutant degradation;
  • Greenhouse gas mitigation;
  • Industrial Catalysis Technology;
  • Cutting-edge characterization techniques;
  • Computational modeling.

If you would like to submit papers for publication in this Special Issue or have any questions, please contact the in-house Editor, Mr. Ives Liu (ives.liu@mdpi.com).

Dr. Xiaohong Yang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photoelectrocatalytic water splitting
  • photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction
  • hydrogen production/storage
  • energy conversion
  • environmental protection

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4645 KB  
Article
Constructing a CoFe2O4-Impregnated Ceramic Membrane with Catalytic Ozonation Capability for Mitigating Irreversible Membrane Fouling
by Jiahao Zhou, Yuxuan Yang, Zhe Yu, Yiming Yang, Fengtao Chen and Xiufang Chen
Catalysts 2026, 16(4), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16040344 - 11 Apr 2026
Viewed by 496
Abstract
To in situ and efficiently degrade irreversible membrane contaminants under mild conditions, SiC ceramic membranes (CMs) were imparted a catalytic ozonation functionality. A spinel-type CoFe2O4 catalyst was fabricated via a citrate-assisted sol–gel method and subsequently impregnated into the macropores of [...] Read more.
To in situ and efficiently degrade irreversible membrane contaminants under mild conditions, SiC ceramic membranes (CMs) were imparted a catalytic ozonation functionality. A spinel-type CoFe2O4 catalyst was fabricated via a citrate-assisted sol–gel method and subsequently impregnated into the macropores of SiC ceramic membranes through a urea-assisted one-step combustion technique. The as-prepared catalytic membranes (CoFe2O4-CM) were systematically characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS techniques, and the catalytic ozonation performance was evaluated in an integrated catalytic ozonation–membrane separation system (CoFe2O4-CM/O3). A flux recovery rate (FRR) of 93.33% was achieved at an ozone concentration of 70.27 mg·L−1 within 30 min, indicating that a catalytic self-cleaning membrane was successfully developed. The possible catalytic reaction mechanism was elucidated by identifying reactive oxygen species generated using free radical quenching tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis. This study offers a promising and environmentally friendly strategy for ceramic membrane cleaning in various membrane separation fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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32 pages, 14132 KB  
Article
Synthesis of Low-Cost CuSn Catalysts for the Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 and Water to Formate and Syngas
by Luis Gerardo Navarro-Tovar, Mayra Sareth Tovar-Oliva, Sebastián Murcia-López and Ignacio Tudela
Catalysts 2026, 16(3), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16030269 - 16 Mar 2026
Viewed by 705
Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of CO2 offers a sustainable approach to transforming carbon dioxide into value-added products when powered by renewable energy. However, current electrocatalysts lack efficiency and selectivity, hindering commercial application. Combining tin’s high formate selectivity with copper’s ability to reduce CO [...] Read more.
The electrochemical reduction of CO2 offers a sustainable approach to transforming carbon dioxide into value-added products when powered by renewable energy. However, current electrocatalysts lack efficiency and selectivity, hindering commercial application. Combining tin’s high formate selectivity with copper’s ability to reduce CO2 via COOH* pathway offers a promising strategy. This synergy mitigates copper’s low selectivity, providing a cost-effective catalyst with enhanced performance over pure Sn-based systems. This work investigates CuSn bimetallic electrocatalysts synthesised by scalable electrodeposition onto gas diffusion layers to boost formate production. Catalytic performance and cell potential were evaluated at current densities ranging from 50 to 200 mA cm−2 and varying Sn compositions. Catalysts with Sn content below 4% predominantly formed CO and H2, but smaller particles and improved metal dispersion increased formate production. A catalyst containing 12% Sn achieved a maximum faradaic efficiency (FE) of 52% at 50 mA cm−2 with an iR-corrected potential of −0.56 V vs. SHE. At 200 mA cm−2, it exhibited a 30% FE for formate, along with 31% FE for CO and 9.3% FE for H2, while other gases contributed to less than 4% FE, indicating potential as syngas feedstock. Higher Sn content, combined with smaller, well-distributed particles, effectively suppressed H2, CO, and other by-products, highlighting a strong dependence of FE on Sn content and bimetallic distribution, demonstrating compositional tuning importance via electrodeposition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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13 pages, 2938 KB  
Article
Effect of Al Doping on the Photoelectrochemical OER Performance of Anisotropic SrTiO3 Crystals
by Lei Zhang, Xiaoli Ran, Jiyi Ma and Xiaohong Yang
Catalysts 2026, 16(3), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16030260 - 13 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 564
Abstract
Perovskite oxide photoanodes are attractive for alkaline water oxidation but are commonly limited by interfacial recombination and sluggish charge transfer. Here we enhance anisotropic SrTiO3 (STO) photoelectrodes via Al doping by simple yet effective one-step hydrothermal method and identify an optimal composition [...] Read more.
Perovskite oxide photoanodes are attractive for alkaline water oxidation but are commonly limited by interfacial recombination and sluggish charge transfer. Here we enhance anisotropic SrTiO3 (STO) photoelectrodes via Al doping by simple yet effective one-step hydrothermal method and identify an optimal composition at 4% Al. In 0.1 M NaOH (pH 13) under simulated AM 1.5G illumination, 4% Al:STO exhibits 2 times enhancement in photocurrent density and 80% increase in electrochemically active surface area compared with the pristine SrTiO3, as evidenced by the reduced charge-transfer resistance and enlarged light–dark photocurrent gap. together with a markedly reduced interfacial impedance, indicating accelerated charge extraction and transfer. Band-structure analysis shows a positive shift in flat-band potential and slight band-gap narrowing after Al doping, providing more favorable carrier energetics. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence further demonstrate strong PL quenching and a prolonged carrier lifetime for 4% Al:STO. ECSA analysis suggests increased electrochemically accessible surface sites at the optimal doping level. Overall, moderate Al doping synergistically tunes defects, band energetics, and interfacial kinetics to improve STO photoanodes for solar water splitting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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14 pages, 12853 KB  
Article
Photothermal CO2 Reduction over Geopolymer/Ag9(SiO4)2NO3 Catalysts Modified by Photoreduced Co2+
by Yijun Wen, Yang Liu, Shuwei Wang, Junyi Liu and Haize Jin
Catalysts 2026, 16(3), 245; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16030245 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 644
Abstract
A type of photothermal catalyst was prepared by photoreducing cobalt ions with geopolymer/Ag9(SiO4)2NO3 (GA). The loading of Co0 significantly expanded the visible-light response range. Due to the photoreduction effect, the loading of Ag0 and [...] Read more.
A type of photothermal catalyst was prepared by photoreducing cobalt ions with geopolymer/Ag9(SiO4)2NO3 (GA). The loading of Co0 significantly expanded the visible-light response range. Due to the photoreduction effect, the loading of Ag0 and Co0 facilitated the transfer of photogenerated electrons and strong thermal excitation, significantly enhancing the photothermal synergy effect. The photothermal catalyst achieved a CO production rate of 70.20 mmol·gcat−1·h−1, and the selectivity of CO reached 97.67% at 400 °C. The CO product rate in the fifth cycle still reached 68.8 mmol·gcat−1·h−1, which provided a reference for extending the functionality of photocatalysts after the photoreduction of heavy metal ions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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17 pages, 4281 KB  
Article
Development of Highly Active and Stable SmMnO3 Perovskite Catalysts for Catalytic Combustion
by Dinghua Ruan, Shipeng Wu, Chenyi Yuan, Zhen Huang, Wei Shen and Hualong Xu
Catalysts 2025, 15(12), 1149; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15121149 - 5 Dec 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 921
Abstract
The development of highly efficient and stable non-noble metal catalysts for volatile organic compound (VOCs) abatement remains a pressing challenge. Mn-based perovskites exhibit superior thermal stability as redox catalysts but suffer from limited activity in light alkane combustion. This study systematically investigates the [...] Read more.
The development of highly efficient and stable non-noble metal catalysts for volatile organic compound (VOCs) abatement remains a pressing challenge. Mn-based perovskites exhibit superior thermal stability as redox catalysts but suffer from limited activity in light alkane combustion. This study systematically investigates the performance of SmMnO3 (SMO) perovskite catalysts for propane oxidation through selective etching of Sm species. By precisely controlling the etching process, the removal of surface Sm exposes more active sites and significantly increases the specific surface area from 22.05 m2·g−1 for pristine SMO to 66.15 m2·g−1. SEM and N2 adsorption–desorption analysis revealed that prolonged etching induces surface roughening and pore channel expansion. XPS and XANES measurements confirmed that an increased Mn4+/Mn3+ ratio enhances reactant adsorption and accessibility to active sites. The etched catalysts exhibited markedly improved activity for propane oxidation, achieving a ~50 °C reduction in light-off temperature compared to the raw SMO. This performance enhancement is attributed to the synergistic effects of enhanced oxygen mobility, elevated Mn4+ content, and abundant oxygen vacancies. Further characterization via Raman spectroscopy and H2-TPR revealed weakened Jahn–Teller distortion and lower reduction temperatures, reflecting optimized Mn–O interactions and superior redox properties. Among the samples, SMO-20 demonstrated exceptional stability. Moreover, the SMO-20/cordierite monolithic catalyst maintained outstanding catalytic performance over 1000 h of operation. This work offers a facile and effective approach to engineer perovskite catalysts and provides new insights into structure–activity relationships in VOC oxidation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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17 pages, 6086 KB  
Article
Enhanced Hydrogen Desorption Performance of AlH3 via MXene Catalysis
by Zhiling He, Liang Zhang, Hua Ning, Zhicong Yang, Jiazheng Mao, Hui Luo, Qinqin Wei, Guangxu Li, Cunke Huang, Zhiqiang Lan, Wenzheng Zhou, Jin Guo, Xinhua Wang and Haizhen Liu
Catalysts 2025, 15(12), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15121143 - 4 Dec 2025
Viewed by 886
Abstract
Aluminum hydride (AlH3) features a theoretical hydrogen content of 10.1 wt%, with initial hydrogen desorption temperatures generally ranging from 150 to 200 °C. However, its metastability makes it complicated to achieve low hydrogen desorption temperatures alongside high desorption capacities, which has [...] Read more.
Aluminum hydride (AlH3) features a theoretical hydrogen content of 10.1 wt%, with initial hydrogen desorption temperatures generally ranging from 150 to 200 °C. However, its metastability makes it complicated to achieve low hydrogen desorption temperatures alongside high desorption capacities, which has limited its practical application. This study aims to improve the hydrogen desorption performance of AlH3 by incorporating different MXenes (V2C, Nb2C, Ti3C2, Ti3CN) accompanied by ball milling condition and catalyst content optimizations. It was shown that AlH3 catalyzed with 1 wt% Nb2C, ball milled at 300 rpm for 180 min under an argon atmosphere, exhibits the best performance, achieving an initial hydrogen desorption temperature of 95 °C and a final hydrogen desorption content of 9.3 wt%. It was further demonstrated that Nb2C MXene mainly acts as an efficient catalyst for the hydrogen desorption process of AlH3 and can extend the Al–H bonds of AlH3 in local interphase regions observed by means of theoretical calculation, thus enhancing the hydrogen desorption performance of AlH3. This work proposes a method to achieve high-capacity and low-temperature hydrogen desorption from metastable AlH3 through proper ball milling and the introduction of MXenes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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19 pages, 7988 KB  
Article
Ru-Modified α-MnO2 as an Efficient PMS Activator for Carbamazepine Degradation: Performance and Mechanism
by Panfeng Hu, Long Qin, Manman Feng, Yuanling Cheng, Pan Tang, Beibei Xin, Wei Song, Quanfeng Wang and Jujiao Zhao
Catalysts 2025, 15(11), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15111085 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1238
Abstract
Although Ru-based catalysts have been investigated in various oxidation systems, their application in sulfate radical-based AOPs, particularly as heterogeneous activators for acidic wastewater treatment, remains limited. Herein, Ru was incorporated into α-MnO2 via lattice doping and surface loading to construct Rulatt [...] Read more.
Although Ru-based catalysts have been investigated in various oxidation systems, their application in sulfate radical-based AOPs, particularly as heterogeneous activators for acidic wastewater treatment, remains limited. Herein, Ru was incorporated into α-MnO2 via lattice doping and surface loading to construct Rulatt/α-MnO2 and Rusurf/α-MnO2, and their PMS activation performance toward carbamazepine (CBZ) degradation was evaluated. Rulatt/α-MnO2 exhibited superior activity, achieving near-complete CBZ removal within minutes under acidic conditions. PMS dosage, catalyst loading, and pH affected the degradation efficiency, with acidic environments significantly enhancing PMS activation. Cl− slightly promoted CBZ degradation, whereas HCO3− and natural organic matter inhibited it. Mechanistic analysis revealed that Ru activated PMS through a nonradical pathway, continuously generating 1O2 via a reversible Ru (II)/Ru (III)/Ru (IV) cycle, while the Mn (III)/Mn (IV) redox couple acted as an electron buffer to sustain Ru cycling and improve durability. The catalyst maintained high activity in complex water matrices, demonstrating strong potential for practical remediation of CBZ-contaminated acidic wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Protection)
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